Immunohistochemical performance testing of monoclonal antibodies to neuroblastoma cells on normal adrenals, spinal and sympathetic ganglia, and neural crest tumours.

Tissue specimens of neural crest-derived structures like normal spinal and sympathetic ganglia and adrenals of adults, infants and fetuses were used as immunohistochemical test substrates for a panel of 10 monoclonal antibodies to neuroblastoma cells raised by immunization with a variety of immunogens (fetal brain, neuroblastoma cell lineages, chick retinal cells or purified Thy-1 antigen). Antigen expression varied among normal structures such as ganglion cells, satellite cells, various nerve fibres, and different cells in the adrenal cortex. This variability in immunoreactivity shown by different cell types and structures was comparable to that seen when the same panel of monoclonal antibodies was applied to neuroblastomas and to ganglioneuroblastomas of different degrees of maturation and differentiation. The neoplasms thus seemed to reflect the normal maturation in the neuroectodermally-derived structures. Also, the studies give indications as to the cell of origin of the undifferentiated neuroblastomas.